[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 101 (Thursday, July 10, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H6585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            MILITARY DEATH GRATUITY IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2003

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, to my left are photographs 
of just a few of the men and women that were killed in Iraq and 
Afghanistan in the last year and a half. And the reason I came to the 
floor is because we passed the House in a very bipartisan way 
legislation to bring some tax relief to our men and women in uniform, 
and I came to the floor because the other body has not taken this 
legislation up.
  I happen to have a bill, H.R. 693, it is called the Military Death 
Gratuity Improvement Act of 2003. A lot of people do not know this 
throughout this country, but every time a man or woman in uniform, 
whether it is wartime or non-wartime, is killed, the family gets what 
is called a death gratuity. Quite frankly it is not enough, but it is 
$6,000 that is given to the family. In 1991 they raised the death 
gratuity from $3,000 to $6,000, but they failed to take the tax off 
$3,000. So therefore at the end of the year the family who has lost a 
loved one fighting for freedom to protect us and this great Nation will 
probably get a tax bill from the IRS. And I must say, Mr. Speaker, I 
think it is absolutely unacceptable that this Congress would allow the 
family of a deceased man or woman in uniform who has died fighting for 
this country to get a bill from Uncle Sam saying they owe a tax on a 
small amount of money, $6,000.
  So I wanted to come to the floor tonight because I have three bases 
in my district, Camp Lejeune Marine Base and Cherry Point Marine 
Station and also Seymour Johnson Air Force Base; and I have a great 
affection for our men and women in uniform, all services, not just 
those that I named, the Marines and Air Force, but all. And, again, I 
think that as we debate these large issues here in Washington, and they 
are very important issues no matter which side of the political aisle 
one is on, the least we can do is to take this tax off for the family 
who has lost a loved one fighting for freedom in Iraq, fighting in 
Operation Enduring Freedom, and I just hope that the other body, Mr. 
Speaker, very soon will pass this legislation, not just the bill I put 
in, which is part of a bigger package, but we need to make sure that in 
the year 2004 when the families who have lost loved ones receive their 
tax bill that they are not going to see a tax on the death gratuity 
that was given to family.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I must say as I begin to close that my staff, and I 
want to compliment my staff, we have a photograph outside my office of 
everyone that has died in this fight for freedom in Operation Freedom 
in Iraq and also those that were killed in Afghanistan. So I hope, and 
again I am being repetitious but I do not apologize for it, that the 
Senate will do their job and make sure that the family that receives 
not only the notice that their son or daughter has given their life for 
this great Nation but also to make sure that at the end of the year 
that family does not receive a notice from Uncle Sam that they owe a 
tax on $6,000.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I close the way I do all over my district. I ask God 
to please bless the men and women in uniform. I ask God to please bless 
the families of those who have men and women in uniform. And I ask God 
to please in his loving arms hold the families who have lost loved ones 
dying for freedom, and I ask God to please bless the House and Senate 
that we will do what is right in the eyes of God. I ask God to bless 
the President, that he will have the strength and the wisdom to lead 
this great Nation. And I ask three times, God, please, God, please, 
God, please continue to bless America.

                          ____________________